The Champion of Artemis
by SeaGreenArrow
Summary: Artemis finds an infant with sea green eyes and decides to raise him as the son she could never have. Percy Jackson grows up with an allegiance to the Hunters of Artemis and only desires to join his new family for all eternity. But, with a great prophecy looming, Percy has no choice but to accept his role in the events to come and become the hero the Hunters trained him to be.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Champion of Artemis**_

 _ **Chapter One: Introduction**_

 _ **Artemis**_

Being an immortal goddess, there weren't many things in this world that could surprise me. And yet, the scene I was now looking at was truly horrific.

The hunters and I had been passing through a small forest in search of a good place to settle for the night when we came upon the mangled corpse of a beautiful woman. Her once stunning brown hair was now in a heap covering her face and her ever changing blue eyes were without life. She had quite clearly been beaten to death and was consequently covered in bruises. Her face was devastated with injuries and blood coated her clothing. However, the most shocking part of the scene was the infant that lay crying on his mother's deceased body.

Chelsea, our newest hunter, picked up the crying baby and held him in her arms while whispering reassuring words until the child had quieted. Zoe Nightshade, my lieutenant, kneeled over the woman and gently closed her eyes while saying a hushed prayer. Phoebe, my best tracker and medic, was rifling through the woman's bag which laid at her side. She found the woman's wallet and pulled out her license.

"Sally Jackson." Phoebe read aloud for the rest of the hunt.

"What kind of monster would do this to someone?" One of the hunters shouted which made the baby start crying once again. Chelsea started trying to calm the child once again and eventually got him to quiet down as he began playing with a handful of her golden blond hair.

"The worst kind of monster." I told the hunters while sadly looking upon Sally Jackson's body. "A man." The hunters voiced their disgust for the man responsible for Sally Jackson's death.

"My lady, what of the child?" Zoe asked. I once again turned my attention to the boy. He was giggling and staring into the ocean blue eyes of Chelsea. I held out my arms and took the boy from her clutches. He immediately began to cry with displeasure but quickly settled as I held him in my arms. He looked upon me curiously but remained completely calm. He had the most remarkable green eyes that reminded me of the sea as he scanned my face. I could tell that he was a demigod. That much was certain. He had a very powerful aura about him which was peculiar considering he couldn't even be a year old yet.

"He will one day become a man." I told them.

"My lady, he's just a baby." Chelsea argued.

"This says his name's Perseus." Phoebe said while reading another document that she pulled out of Sally Jackson's bag. Perseus Jackson, something was certainly different about this little demigod.

"He's a demigod." I informed them. "And a strong one at that."

"But he's still a boy." One of the hunters spoke up. I nodded.

"This could be an opportunity for us." Zoe stated, surprising me. All eyes turned to her. It wasn't like her to be supporting the survival of any man. No matter what the age. "My lady, due to your vow, you'll never be able to have a child. Someone that you can truly claim as your own. You could raise him and he could stay with the hunt. You could ensure that there is at least one good male in the world." I was taken aback by her words. I'd always wanted a child but I'd been perfectly content with all the adoptive daughters I had in the hunt. "We could raise him to be kind and strong and everything good." I looked around to see what the others thought about Zoe's plan. To my surprise, Phoebe and the majority of the hunters were nodding along in agreement and smiling at the idea. Chelsea was over the moon and looked like she was seconds away from hugging Zoe for her suggestion. I analyzed the boy some more. He was still watching me closely with his big green eyes. I smiled and he started to giggle. Right then, I made my decision.

"Perseus Jackson." I told him, even though he obviously wouldn't understand me. "From this day forward, you will be my son. I shall raise you along with the help of the Hunters of Artemis and we will ensure that you become a truly spectacular hero." I quickly glanced at the rest of the hunters who all seemed to have warmed up to the idea now. "We will make sure that you become strong and kind and pure and do the world a justice." I stared deep into the child's eyes before continuing. "If you do become the hero that we envision you to be, I will allow you to become the third male to ever join the Hunters of Artemis. Upon reaching your sixteenth birthday, that is." Some of the hunters seemed shocked by my words while some seemed to agree whole heartedly. "When that day comes, you'll vow to hunt by my side for all eternity and defend my hunters." I laughed. "Oh, Perseus, you don't understand any of the things I'm saying to you. But, one day, you will. And, when that day comes, you will have a very important decision to make." I flashed him one last smile and returned him to the arms of Chelsea who delicately cradled the child.

"I really believe that this could be a good thing." Zoe stated as she turned from Sally's corpse to address me.

"Yeah, the little guy might even restore your faith in men." Phoebe suggested sarcastically as she helped several hunters load Sally Jackson's body onto a stretcher. I laughed.

"Let's take it one step at a time." I said.

"Either way, little Percy is just adorable." Chelsea said in a baby voice which made Percy giggle. The hunters laughed and even Zoe cracked a smile. A few girls disappeared with Sally's body to give her a proper burial and try to find out some more information on the mystery woman. I watched as they disappeared deeper into the forest.

"Thank you, Sally." I whispered to myself. "Thank you for bringing me my son."


	2. Chapter 2

_**The Champion of Artemis**_

 _ **Chapter Two: Drakon Juice and Campfires**_

 _ **Percy Jackson**_

 **12 Years Later**

"Is there a reason we're here?" Zoe asked as she threw more wood onto the fire.

Zoe, Chelsea, Phoebe, and I were all sitting on logs around a roaring fire on the beach. We were setting up camp for the night at my favorite place in the world: Montauk. A while back, while hunting a creature that I can't remember, I was drawn to this beach and return here every opportunity I get. There was just something about it that I liked. The ocean was calm and inviting. Usually too cold for Zoe and the others to swim, but any water felt great to me.

A couple years ago, I found an old abandoned cabin and managed to refurbish it a little bit. Now, Montauk was just a great get away and pit stop whenever we were hunting in the area. And, it seems like we're always hunting in this area.

"Why are you complaining?" I questioned from her side. "This place is great." Phoebe poked at the fire with a stick.

"I'm going to have to side with Zoe on this one." She said. "We're on an important mission and this place isn't exactly on the way. We could've reached camp already. I don't understand why we're setting up shop here for the night." I smiled.

This was the first independent mission that my mother had ever given me. Well, sort of independent. There were four of us and Zoe was technically the leader of the group but I still say it counts.

I loved growing up with the Hunters. I really did. They became my family and I owed my life to them. Artemis told me everything about my past, including the circumstances which lead to her adopting me. I felt sad about what happened to Sally Jackson. She no doubt would have been a great mother based on what the Hunters have told me, but I never knew her. Artemis was the only parent that mattered to me and the Hunters were now my blood. Whatever god fathered me made it very clear that I was not wanted and that's perfectly fine. I'm very happy with my life and, when I turn sixteen, I will get to join the Hunters of Artemis and spend eternity with my sisters.

That being said, mother dearest sent the four of us out on our own for a mission involving Camp Half-blood. All we know is that major things are going down on Olympus and the four of us need to be at camp representing the Hunters when shit hits the fan. Zoe, being lieutenant, was leading our little squad while Phoebe was using her navigational skills to make sure we got there sooner rather than later. Chelsea and I, well…we were just the dynamic duo. And when I say that, I mean we were the ones constantly getting yelled at and causing trouble.

"Lighten up." Chelsea said. "It's nice here and we finally have a golden opportunity to live a little carefree." She pulled out a bottle from her silver bag containing a strange blue liquid. I recognized the concoction immediately.

"Drakon Juice?" I asked in surprise and all but ripped the bottle from Chelsea's grasp.

Drakon Juice was a drink that Chelsea and I had invented for nights just like this. It's extremely alcoholic, but also very tasteful. Basically, all the ingredients for a very fun night.

"You know it, Perce." She said and gave Zoe a wink. I pulled the cork top from the bottle and took a long swig.

"Great call, Chels." I said while wiping my mouth.

"Why's it blue?" Phoebe asked in wonder as Chelsea took a drink from the bottle. The blue food dye was my own touch. Consider it a signature that Chelsea stole from me. Chelsea passed the bottle to Phoebe who scanned the it with scrutiny.

"Eh, why not?" She said and took an impressive sip. She went to hand the bottle to Zoe who gave us a very disapproving look. But, after a second, the look faded and she laughed.

"Oh, my gods, you guys are idiots." She said but snagged the bottle and joined in on the festivities. We remained like that for some time. Sitting in a circle, passing around the Drakon Juice, and recalling stories from our time together. They were my sisters and my family but they were also my friends. It helped that they all decided to appear in the form of a twelve-year-old so I'd be on level terms with them.

We continued with our little party deep into the night and everyone was clearly feeling the effects. I felt pretty good still and Phoebe didn't seem to be that out of it but the other two were pretty bad. I'd seen Chelsea drunk quite a bit considering that it was usually the two of us that snuck off and did this sort of thing, but I'd never seen Zoe anything but sober. It was truly a sight to see.

"Remember Percy's first time shooting a bow." Zoe said while laughing uncontrollably. "And he screwed up so bad that he cut his hand on the arrow." Chelsea had fallen off of her log and was literally rolling on the ground in a fit of laughter. Except, her mouth was hanging open, like she was laughing, but no sound was coming out. This made Zoe laugh even harder and Phoebe join in on the fun.

"Hey, that really hurt!" I exclaimed. "And I was like six!" This only made the trio laugh even harder and Zoe fell out of her seat to join Chelsea on the sand. I decided to step away from the group for a while. I walked into a little patch of woods by the beach and explored while the sounds of my friends grew further away. I pulled out my silver bow and a matching arrow appeared as I pulled back the strings. I tried shooting at a thin branch, but missed horribly. Even with all the time I spent with the hunters, I just couldn't seem to get the hang of a bow. It's like it just wasn't in my blood.

Just then, I heard a noise from behind me and notched another arrow while whirling to face the figure. A satyr stepped out from behind a tree and held up his hands in defense at the sight of my bow. I lowered my weapon and put it away as the satyr was clearly not a threat.

"Hello." The satyr said nervously. I gave him a big sarcastic smile.

"Hi there." I said. He turned a little bit red.

"I'm Grover and I was sent to bring the Hunters of Artemis to camp. But, uh…" He scanned me up and down, obviously confused as to how I was affiliated with the Hunters. I held out my hand.

"Percy Jackson, son of Artemis." He looked like he was about to faint. "Adopted son." I quickly added. He was still shocked but slightly less once I included that the maiden goddess had not broken her vow. He shook my hand.

"How did that happen?" I shrugged.

"Found me as a baby with my mother's dead corpse and Artemis adopted me. You know, the usual." I didn't want to give the poor guy a heart attack so I decided to change the subject. "We're actually going to spend the night here and head to camp tomorrow. So, we're not exactly in need of assistance, but you're welcome to join us." He shook his head.

"We actually have to get going now." I raised an eyebrow.

"And why's that?"

"Let's just say that there's a few people who want you guys dead by the end of the night." I had no idea what he was talking about but I could also tell that he was being deadly serious.

"Fine, good enough for me. We might have some trouble getting the whole crew to camp though."

"What do you mean?" I didn't respond but lead Grover back to our campsite. Zoe and Phoebe were laughing about something and Chelsea was out cold in the sand. Seeing that I had returned with a new companion, Zoe and Phoebe seemed to sober up slightly.

"Who's your friend?" Zoe asked and stumbled into me. I wrapped an arm around her waist and kept her from falling.

"I'm Grover and are you drunk?" Grover questioned. Zoe and Phoebe laughed in response.

"We weren't expecting to travel anymore tonight." I told him. I detached from Zoe and picked Chelsea up from off the sand. I slung her over my shoulder and once again allowed Zoe to hang on my other side. Grover looked skeptical as I exited the campsite with the two girls attached to me.

"Are you sure you can handle that?" He asked. I laughed.

"Don't worry about me. Just make sure Phoebe doesn't pass out." I told him.

"I can walk, Percy." Phoebe stated.

"Good. Let's go. You and Grover can take point. I don't know where we're going." The pair walked ahead of me and began leading us through the forest. We hiked down a road for some time as I struggled to keep Zoe on her feet and balance Chelsea on my shoulder. Phoebe basically just tried to sober up while Grover lead the way. Eventually, we passed some strawberry fields and spotted a large pine tree atop a hill. At that same moment, a half man, half bull creature appeared from the nearby woods. The minotaur. I looked at my comrades and saw that no one was in any condition to be fighting. The only one who could help me would be Grover and he was the palest out of us all.

"The minotaur." Grover whispered in fear. I rolled my eyes.

"You got this one, Perce?" Phoebe asked me. I responded with a cocky grin.

"Course." I said. "Just get these two out of here." Zoe grabbed onto Phoebe looking like she might throw up at any moment and Grover hoisted Chelsea piggyback style. The four casually walked up the hill as I faced off with the monster from Hades. I cockily threw my silver bow to the side and waited for the beast to make its move. It made a gesture like it was about to charge and I copied the movement. We charged each other at the same time, much to the surprise of the minotaur. As we were about to collide, I jumped straight up and over the minotaur's head while grabbing onto one of its horns. I jerked back with all my weight and the horn snapped right off. I twirled my new weapon a few times as the creature gathered its bearings. I charged once again, before it had time to make another attack, and drove the horn into its ribcage. The minotaur gave a quick shriek of pain and dissolved into dust.

The adrenaline of the fight quickly wore off and I realized how exhausted I was. After staying up to drink, walking all night long, and then fighting the minotaur, I had no energy left. I threw myself against the trunk of the pine tree so that I'd be protected by the camp and felt myself begin drifting off to sleep. Remembering the myth of the pine tree, I gave the trunk a gentle pat.

"Don't let me die in my sleep, Thalia." I whispered and everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

_**The Champion of Artemis**_

 _ **Chapter Three: A Warm Welcome**_

 _ **Percy Jackson**_

When I finally came to, I was no longer anywhere near Thalia's tree.

I was in an extremely soft bed. Someone had clearly found me and taken me to the infirmary. There were a few other beds nearby, all of them empty with the exception of one. Chelsea was still out cold in the bunk next to me. Her blond curls were covering her face and I could still see the residue of sand from her nap on the beach. Zoe, Phoebe, and Grover were nowhere to be found.

I felt fresh and rejuvenated. I wasn't sore or injured from my fight. I just needed a good night of sleep.

I shook Chelsea a few times to try to wake her up before leaving but she was unresponsive. Nothing but steady breathing. I jumped out of bed and changed into my usual silver attire before leaving the infirmary. I got my first true view of Camp Half-blood in all its glory and it was beautiful. Strawberry fields, an inviting lake, an archery range, unique cabins, an assortment of kids in orange t-shirts, it was just as the Hunters described. I was very familiar with the camp but this was the first time I'd gotten to see it in person. Just then, I saw Grover emerge from a chair on the porch and make his way over to me.

"Percy!" He exclaimed. "You're awake." I nodded and noticed the pair sitting with him on the porch.

"Hey, Grover." I greeted. "Who are your friends?" Grover lead me to the table and I recognized the game they were playing immediately.

"Percy, this is Mr. D and Chiron." He stated while indicating to the two men. Chiron rose from his magical chair in all his centaur glory.

"It is an honor to meet you Mr. Jackson." He stated. I bowed to him and gave a quick bow to Dionysus as well. "Grover has told me many great things about you. I'd love to hear more about how you came into the company of Artemis' hunt. Care to sit and join us." Dionysus snorted as if expecting that I would have no idea how to play pinochle. I sat down beside Chiron and joined in the game easily to the surprise of Mr. D. As we played, I told them of my past and how Artemis made me her adopted son. They were all intrigued to hear my story. Clearly, I was a mystery that they had been waiting to solve.

"And the Hunters actually like you?" Dionysus asked incredulously.

"They're my sisters." I responded. "We're family." Dionysus was about to say something when a blond-haired girl approached the table. She looked similar to Chelsea with the same golden curls, except she was a lot more tan. She looked pretty much what a stereotypical California girl would look like except for her eyes. They were a mesmerizing gray, twinkling with excitement but wildly intimidating.

"You're the one. Aren't you?" She asked, more like a statement than a question. I looked at Chiron for some help.

"Now, Annabeth." He began. "Perseus has just awoken from his sleep. Perhaps it would be best to wait for him to settle in before asking your questions." I gave him a nod of gratitude. This girl, Annabeth, was certainly someone I'd have figure out while I'm here. "Why don't you take him to his cabin. Annabeth looked like she wanted to protest but decided against it.

"Yes, Chiron." She huffed in defeat. "Cabin Eleven, I'm assuming?" Chiron smiled.

"Actually, he'll be staying in cabin eight with his sister." Annabeth's jaw dropped.

"Cabin eight? With the hunters?" Chiron nodded. I rose from my seat and swung an arm around Annabeth while directing her toward the cabins.

"Come on." I said. "I'll introduce you to the family." I could practically see the gears turning in her head and knew that I was about to be bombarded with questions. Sure enough, as soon as we were out of hearing distance from the Big House, the flood of questions began.

"Artemis is your mother? You're a member of the Hunters?"

"Adoptive mother and no, not until my sixteenth birthday." I responded. She processed the information.

"So, you haven't sworn any kind of vow to the hunt?"

"If you're asking if I've vowed to live the life of a maiden, the answer is no." I said sarcastically.

"You're not immortal then?" We came to a stop by cabin eight.

"Not so much." Annabeth leaned on the wall of Artemis' cabin and looked thoughtful. "What did you mean when you asked if I was the one?" Annabeth was about to respond when the door swung open and Zoe stepped out.

"Percy!" She yelled and wrapped her arms around me. I returned the embrace and she noticed Annabeth.

"Zoe, this is Annabeth…" I began.

"…Chase." Annabeth finished. "Daughter of Athena." Zoe shook her hand.

"Zoe Nightshade." She stated. "Lieutenant for the Hunters of Artemis, and recruiter if you're interested." Annabeth answered with a polite smile but I could tell she had no desire to join the hunt whatsoever. Which meant, she was interested in someone here at camp. For whatever reason, the thought made me kind of mad. Like I immediately needed to see what kind of guy Annabeth was so attracted to.

"Well, I need to get going." Annabeth said. "Capture the flag's coming up and I have no intentions of losing. Regardless of what team you guys end up on." I smiled.

"If you're smart, you're going to want us on your team." I said. "And, I have a feeling that you're very smart." She returned the smile before turning around and disappearing behind a cabin. When she was gone, Zoe gave me a knowing look.

"Already found a lady love, Percy?" She asked. "What will your mother think?" I blushed slightly but gave her a playful shove.

"Where's Phoebe?" I asked.

"I'm not…" She trailed off and instead pointed behind me. Phoebe was getting harassed by three or four daughters of Ares. The one in the front caught Phoebe off guard and shoved her to the ground while continuing to taunt her. Annabeth reappeared by the group.

"Cut it out, Clarisse." She commanded. Phoebe was now on her feet and looking murderous.

"You know, I promised my lady I wouldn't kill any campers this time." She growled. "But, some promises are just too hard to keep." She lunged at Clarisse and took her to the ground. The other children of Ares jumped into the mix as Annabeth pleaded for them to stop. Zoe and I rushed into the action and managed to pull everyone apart.

"We're not here to fight the campers." Zoe scolded.

"Yeah, save it for capture the flag, Phoebe." I added, but really wanted nothing more than to continue watching the fight.

"You're so full of it, Perce." A familiar voice stated. Chelsea appeared from behind one of the buildings looking much better. She'd obviously showered and her golden hair was now in a braid down her back. "I know you'd love to see Phoebe knock around a daughter of Ares." The comment seemed to anger Clarisse. Because, as our attention was drawn to Chelsea, she threw a strong punch that connected with Zoe's eye. Zoe crashed to the ground while grabbing her face. I was shocked, just as everyone else was. Zoe took a hard hit, which was a rarity in itself. Not to mention the punch came while her guard was down. My shock was replaced by anger at Clarisse and I felt a weird sensation in my stomach. It felt powerful, nothing I'd ever experienced before.

Suddenly, a steam of water shot out of the nearby bathroom like a cannon and blasted Clarisse to the ground. Murky water shot into her open mouth and everyone in the area was soon dripping wet. Well, everyone except me. As the pull in my gut lessened and the water subsided, I was standing in a ring of dry grass without a drop of water on my clothing. My friends were drenched and looking at me in surprise while Clarisse continued spitting up water.

"Percy, how did you do that?" Annabeth asked. I shrugged and looked around in surprise. Everyone was watching me nervously and a small crowd had gathered.

"You're dead." Clarisse managed to blurt out as her sisters helped get her to her feet.

"I think you're right, Percy." Annabeth stated. I looked at her. "I'm definitely going to want you on my team."


	4. Chapter 4

_**The Champion of Artemis**_

 _ **Chapter Four: Capture the Flag**_

 _ **Percy Jackson**_

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful.

I was constantly being stared at by all the campers after the incident. But, other than that, it was a pretty normal week.

Zoe, Phoebe, and Chelsea thought it would be fun to show me what life was like as a demigod at camp. This meant that we participated in all the daily activities that they had to offer. The reason this was so fun was because, being Hunters, we were already pretty advanced with most of this stuff. Zoe, Phoebe, and Chelsea showed off their abilities at the archery range while I proved to be the worst bowman to ever be associated with the Hunters of Artemis. We smoked everyone in foot racing, having superior speed from being in the hunt and even showed off our understanding of Ancient Greek. The thing that I enjoyed most was sword fighting.

Luke Castellan, a pretty cool son of Hermes, gave me a few lessons. We figured out pretty quickly that I was a natural with a sword in my hand. He joked that I might as well ditch the bow and be the only Hunter to use a sword. The only problem was that none of the swords felt truly balanced in my hand.

Throughout all of this, I could tell that everyone was trying to figure out who my real godly parent was. I'd always tell them it was Artemis but they'd dismiss this and continue analyzing me. Truthfully, none of us were sure who my godly parent was. The only difference was that I was the only one who didn't care.

Eventually, Friday night came around and we all met in the dining pavilion to prepare for Capture the Flag. We went through the formalities of sacrificing food to Artemis and glaring at the campers who had a dislike for the hunt. Chelsea and I also enjoyed annoying Zoe with our blue colored beverages and food.

Finally, Annabeth and some other kids came running in with the gray flag of Athena while Clarisse strolled in with her blood red banner of Ares. Zoe, Phoebe, Chelsea and I huddled together at our table.

"So, we're aligning ourselves with Annabeth, right?" Chelsea asked from my side. Zoe nodded from across the table.

"She's one of the few people here I can actually tolerate." She stated.

"Aww, I hope she joins the hunt. I like her." Chelsea was a daughter of Aphrodite and, despite being a hunter, that shown through on occasion.

"I more just don't want to be on Clarisse's team." I added. Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, right, Percy." Annabeth made her way to our table with the flag in her hand.

"You guys are with me, right?" She asked. We all stated that we were which made her smile. "Good, because I have a really good plan." She looked at me. "You can't hear it though." I opened my mouth while the girls laughed at me.

"Sorry, Perce." Zoe said. "Why don't you go catch up with the rest of the team while we go over strategy." It was at this point that I noticed most of the campers on our team had already suited up for battle and were waiting for us. Everyone was wearing a blue plume on their helmet as a symbol for our team. The red team began throwing taunts as Clarisse lead them out of the pavilion and into the forest. I flashed my sisters a cocky smile and grabbed the flag from Annabeth's side before she could stop me. I held it above my head with both arms and rallied the team.

"Blue team!" I exclaimed. "Fall in!" They looked confused at first but then cheered as I lead them out of the pavilion. I risked a quick glance at Clarisse who was glaring at me and then at Annabeth who looked annoyed that I had stolen her thunder.

A few minutes later, we were all eager to begin. Annabeth, I guess as punishment for my stunt, made me stand guard by a creek. She claimed I was on "border patrol" and then laughed as she disappeared with my sisters.

A few minutes beyond that and I could hear the distant sounds of fighting in the woods. I was missing out on all of the fun. I was a little mad at Annabeth for making me just stand there and not including me in the plan. I mean what did the others bring to the table that I didn't. And, that's when I realized something. I was part of the plan. Me being here, guarding the creek, was all part of Annabeth's plan. And, not because she just needed someone guarding the border. My train of thought was interrupted when Clarisse and four other children of Ares appeared from the woods.

"Hi there, Prissy." She taunted and jammed her spear into the ground. It crackled with electricity, not something I wanted to see. The others twirled their bronze swords menacingly. I pulled out my silver hunting knives and held them in a defensive position.

"Clarisse." I stated coolly. The group surrounded me as if circling their prey. I decided that my best plan of attack was to try and catch them off guard. I threw both hunting knives at two of Clarisse's minions, knocking them both back momentarily. It bought me just enough time to send a quick kick to Minion One's head. He collapsed in a heap and I quickly grabbed his unbalanced sword. I wasted no time smacking the flat of the blade into Minion Two's face. He dropped as well, but I think I might have broken his nose. Oh well. Minion Three and Four had recovered from the hunting knives I threw and charged me simultaneously. I dropped the sword and grabbed them both by the back of their helmets. In a quick move, I slammed their heads together and the pair joined their siblings on the ground. Now, it was just me and Clarisse. She looked nervous but tried not to show it and continued to point her electric spear at me.

Before anything else could happen, cheering erupted from the forest. Clarisse and I watched as Luke Castellan raced toward the creek with the red team's flag. He was flanked on either side by Zoe and Phoebe. As he crossed the creek, the blue team exploded with cheers and hoisted Luke upon their shoulders. Zoe and Phoebe quickly moved away from the pack and Zoe even smacked a boy's hand who tried to raise her up.

"No way!" Clarisse exclaimed dumbfoundedly. I saw the light behind Clarisse begin to shimmer and Annabeth materialized out of thin air.

"Way." She stated coolly and knocked Clarisse out cold with the butt of her knife. By now everyone had gathered by the creek as the game concluded. I stared at Annabeth in amusement and surprise that she could apparently turn invisible.

"You totally used me as bait." I said. She shrugged and played with the brim of her hat.

"It was a good plan." I laughed as Zoe came to join us.

"Sorry, Perce." She said. "It was just too easy." I rolled my eyes. Then, something strange caught my attention. Like a low, fearsome growling that made my hair stand on end. No one else seemed to notice it. I looked around and saw a monstrous hellhound bounding toward Zoe. There was no time to react. My instincts took over and I shoved Zoe out of the way. The hound tackled me into the water and began slashing at my chest. I could feel my skin being torn to ribbons and my chest became extremely warm. I screamed in pain as Chiron, the Apollo children, and the Hunters launched a volley of arrows into the beast's side. The hellhound dissolved into dust.

The first sign that told me my chest was really messed up was when I saw Annabeth cover her mouth with her hands. The gasps that followed were another good indication. But, as quickly as it came, the pain began to subside. I could feel the strength returning to my body and my skin begin to close up. After a few seconds, I felt incredible and jumped to my feet with only a few scratches underneath my tattered clothes. No one said anything. There was complete silence. In fact, they were all staring open mouthed at something above my head.

I looked up and saw a sea green trident begin to fade above me. It seemed to buzz with energy and gave off a radiant glow. The campers dropped to their knees and everyone looked absolutely shocked.

"All hail, Perseus Jackson…" Chiron began before being cut off by Zoe.

"…son of Poseidon."


	5. Chapter 5

_**The Champion of Artemis**_

 _ **Chapter Five: A Quest For Five**_

 _ **Percy Jackson**_

I was angry.

I'd always acted like I couldn't care less about what my father did to me and my birth mother, but I was heated. It's as if having someone to finally put the blame on just made the anger roll off of me in waves.

The news got around camp quickly. Everyone was talking about me and I learned that I now needed to have an important chat with Chiron and Mr. D.

I was summoned to the Big House and Zoe accompanied me, afraid that Dionysus might smite me or something. Chiron was anxiously waiting on the porch and Dionysus groaned when we entered.

"Why did it have to be the one camper that knew how to play pinochle." He mumbled. Zoe and I ignored him and took a seat at the table. Chiron sighed.

"Now that we know you are a child of the big three…" He began. "There are certain things we need to discuss with you." I spared a glance at Zoe who smiled reassuringly. I nodded. "You mentioned that Lady Artemis sent you to camp to…"

"She just told us that we should be here, representing the Hunters while things were going down on Olympus." Zoe stated. Chiron nodded.

"Well those things." Dionysus said. "Would be an escalating conflict between Perseus' father and Zeus. Specifically, over the theft of Zeus' master bolt."

"Zeus thinks that Poseidon stole his lightning bolt?" I questioned.

"And seeing as Poseidon just claimed Percy, Zeus thinks he has it." Zoe concluded.

"That's correct. And, because of this, you must accept a quest from the oracle and clear your name." Chiron explained. "We're lucky that we have a demigod with your level of training and power to lead this quest." My mind was racing.

"What will I have to do?" I asked.

"The overwhelming evidence supports that Hades is in possession of the bolt and is framing you." Dionysus said. "If Poseidon and Zeus are fighting, he'll have a straight shot at the thrown. He knows that you're the only one who can stop the fighting, so he's been throwing all the creatures of the night at you. Ergo, the minotaur and the hellhound. So, long story short, you're going on a nice cross-country trip to the Underworld."

"That's suicide." Zoe said angrily. Something occurred to me.

"The hellhound attacked Zoe though." I said. "It wasn't after me, I just got in the way."

"And, if Ms. Nightshade had been killed?"

"I would've went after Hades."

"And challenged a god, brilliant. Hades is smart. He knows how to really hurt you. If he kills Zoe or one of your little friends, you'll fly off the handle and your quest to the Underworld won't be an act of diplomacy." I rose from my seat and Zoe and Chiron followed.

"I don't know how I'll be able to convince Hades to hand over the bolt, but I accept the quest." I stated. Mr. D sighed.

"You had a good run kid." He said. "Good luck out there." And, with that, he disappeared.

"Seek the consul of the Oracle, Percy." Chiron told me. "You must receive the prophecy." Zoe nervously lead me from the porch and up to the attack. I opened the green door and gave Zoe a reassuring smile before entering the room. I paid no attention to the meaningless items riddling the floor and made my way right to the Oracle.

I didn't want this quest. I didn't want to help Poseidon. I just wanted to join the Hunters of Artemis and stay with my family forever. But, here I am, accepting a suicide mission to retrieve a greedy god's item of power to stop him from fighting the father I care nothing for. Not to mention, retrieving said item from the Lord of darkness. Just great.

The Oracle's mummified body became animated and its mouth opened wide. Green smoke began filling the room and I could hear the prophecy in my head.

 _You shall go west, and face the god who has turned_

 _You shall find what was stolen and see it safely returned_

 _You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend_

 _And fail to save what matters most in the end_

Zoe was waiting for me on the other side of the door. I recited the prophecy to her and she paled.

"That doesn't sound good." She stated. "But, then again, these things usually have double meanings."

"Guess we'll find out." I replied. We reported the prophecy to Chiron who looked uneasy.

"Alright then." He said. "In terms of quest members, the prophecy doesn't state a specific number. However, three is a sacred number and I would strongly urge you to only take two additional quest members. And, as you may already know, Annabeth will play a role in this quest." As if rehearsed, Annabeth materialized beside me and flashed me a smile.

"Well, that's going to be a problem." A new voice said. Phoebe and Chelsea appeared on the porch. "Because we're not letting Percy and Annabeth leave without us." Chelsea finished. Chiron looked uneasy.

"Four quest members would not be very wise." He said sternly.

"How about five." Zoe said and flung an arm around my shoulder. "Percy, Phoebe, Chelsea, Annabeth, and I. The quest is good as complete." I smiled. Chiron relaxed slightly.

"I would feel much better with three quest members but, it this is what you want, then the five of you shall leave immediately. Your journey will be dangerous. Just remember you've been warned about how sacred numbers can be with prophecy." I was a little bit nervous. Chiron was right. Bringing five members on this quest wasn't explicitly forbidden but it wasn't smart. But, I also knew they would never let me leave without them. They were all looking at me, as if expecting me to give a command. It was weird. This was usually Zoe's department.

"Pack your bags." I said. "Let's get this over with."


End file.
